Meet Our ChairsDrexel University College of Medicine

Basic Science Chairs

Jane Clifford, MD

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Jane Azizkhan-Clifford, PhD, is professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Drexel University College of Medicine. She is also director of the MD/PhD program and associate dean for medical student education. Dr. Clifford earned her PhD from the University of Maryland and performed her dissertation research at the National Cancer Institute. She completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University and the University of Virginia. She has been engaged in basic cancer research throughout her academic career at Johns Hopkins University, University of North Carolina, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and at Drexel.

Brian Wigdahl, PhD

Microbiology & Immunology

Brian Wigdahl, PhD, is professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, director of the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, and director of the institute’s Center for Molecular Virology and Translational Neuroscience. The research efforts of the department and institute center on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious, oncogenic and inflammatory disease. An internationally recognized molecular virologist, Dr. Wigdahl focuses his research on the molecular mechanisms, treatment and prevention of immunologic abnormalities, cancer and progressive neurologic disorders caused by members of the retrovirus family.

Itzhak Fischer, PhD

Neurobiology & Anatomy

Itzhak Fischer, PhD, is professor and chair of the Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy. His NIH-supported research focuses on the development of cellular and molecular strategies to promote the regeneration and recovery of function in the injured spinal cord. He has been with Drexel and its predecessor institutions since 1991. Prior to that, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Olimpia Meucci, MD, PhD

Pharmacology & Physiology

As a tenured professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Olimpia Meucci, MD, PhD, actively contributes to the educational and research missions of the College's graduate and medical schools. She also holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. Dr. Meucci is one of the co-directors of the Temple/Drexel/UPenn training grant “Interdisciplinary and Translational Research Training in NeuroAIDS” (NIH-MH079785), and is director of the Center of Neuroimmunology and CNS Therapeutics, which is part of the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases.

Clinical Chairs

Michael Green, DO, MBA, FASA

Anesthesiology

Michael Green, DO, is professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, and the former director of the Anesthesiology Residency program. Dr. Green received his degree in osteopathic medicine from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and completed the Drexel/Hahnemann Anesthesiology Residency program, serving as chief resident in his final year. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Glenn Laub, MD

CT Surgery/Cardiology

Glenn Laub, MD, is professor and chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He has performed over 5,000 cardiac surgeries and has pioneered minimally invasive coronary and valve procedures. He started Defibtech, an award-winning manufacturer of lifesaving automatic external defibrillators, used to detect irregularities in heart rhythms and treat them with electrical therapy. Dr. Laub holds over 40 patents for medical devices, including a less invasive catheter used to connect patients to a heart-lung machine, and one that measures blood flow in a patient's leg. He was also the founding president of the 21CCSS, an international cardiac surgery society.

Richard Hamilton, MD

Emergency Medicine

Richard Hamilton, MD, is chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. He started his medical career as a U.S. Naval flight surgeon and received his Wings of Gold in 1989. From there he went on to be the chief of medical operations at the Naval Air Development Center. He is interested in acceleration physiology as well as centrifuge training of commercial space flight participants. He is the chief medical officer for the NASTAR Center (www.nastarcenter.com) and spearheaded the training of a number of astronauts.

Susanna Evans, MD

Family Medicine

Susanna Evans, MD, is the chair of the Department of Family, Community & Preventive Medicine. Prior to joining Drexel Family Medicine, Dr. Evans served as medical director for Montgomery Family Ob/Gyn Center and Montgomery Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Center in Norristown. Dr. Evans is the medical director of Drexel Medicine University City. She also practices at the Drexel Student Health Center and at Drexel Family Medicine in Manayunk. She is a member of the Drexel University Physicians Primary Care Task Force and the Drexel University Physicians (DUP) Marketing Committee, and represents the DUP on the Steering Committee of the Physician Performance Network of Philadelphia.

Lia Suzanne Logio, MD

Medicine

Lia Suzanne Logio, MD, is professor and chair of the Department of Medicine. She received her medical degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed her residency in internal medicine at Duke University Medical Center. She served as an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Medicine at Duke until 2001 when she joined Indiana University School of Medicine as an associate professor of medicine. She has served on dozens of professional, institutional and faculty committees, including as past president of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine.

G. Peter Gliebus, MD

Neurology

G. Peter Gliebus, MD, is an associate professor and chair of neurology with Drexel Neurosciences Institute. He is also the director of the Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry Fellowship program. Dr. Gliebus earned his medical degree from Vilnius University in Lithuania, where he was born. He is the principal investigator for a number of clinical trials related to memory disorders and dementia, and has more than 60 publications and presentations to his credit. Additionally, he is a member of the Medical and Scientific Committee for the Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley chapter and serves on more than a dozen local, regional and national committees.

Erol Veznedaroglu, MD

Neurosurgery

Erol Veznedaroglu, MD, or Dr. Vez, is one of the nation's most innovative and experienced vascular, dual-trained neurosurgeons. He is director of the Drexel Neurosciences Institute and holds the Robert A. Groff Chair in Neurosurgery. Dr. Vez is also chair of Global Neurosciences Institute, LLC (GNI), leading a team of some of the nation’s most experienced neurosurgeons specializing in comprehensive care including vascular, tumor, spine and functional neurosurgery, as well as a consortium of neuroscience physicians providing subspecialty neurology and comprehensive pain management clinical services. He previously served as director of the Division of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson Hospital.

Owen Montgomery, MD

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Owen C. Montgomery, MD, is professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. A specialist in female pelvic reconstructive surgery, Dr. Montgomery has explored a range of concerns throughout his career, including gender education; the provision of care to underserved women, both nationally and internationally; electronic medical records; and the prevention of sexual assault. In addition to teaching Drexel medical students, he is a national adviser to several of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology's junior subspecialty fellowship programs. Dr. Montgomery has been honored several times with excellence in teaching awards, along with the ACOG National Wyeth Award for Outstanding Program for Women’s Health.

David Stein, MD

Ophthalmology & Surgery

David Stein, MD, is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Surgery. He is also the director of operations for the Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Stein completed his training in the Department of Colorectal Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. As a colorectal surgeon, his focus includes the laparoscopic treatment of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. He also has expertise in prevention strategies and identifying risk factors for colorectal cancer in younger patients, as well as outcomes analysis in colorectal surgery. He serves as the director of education and sits on the board of directors of the Susan Cohan Kasdas Foundation.

Norman Johanson, MD

Orthopedic Surgery

Norman Johanson, MD, is professor and chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. He is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with a clinical interest in joint replacement and repair. Dr. Johanson earned an MD from Weill Cornell Medical College, where he also completed an internship before obtaining residency and fellowship training at the Hospital for Special Surgery of New York. He has been named a Top Doctor by Philadelphia magazine regularly since 2012.

Robert Sataloff, MD

Otolaryngology

Robert Thayer Sataloff, MD, DMA, is professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and senior associate dean for clinical academic specialties. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University, adjunct clinical professor at Temple University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and is on the faculty of the Academy of Vocal Arts. He has served as conductor of the Thomas Jefferson University Choir for nearly four decades. Dr. Sataloff is also a professional singer and singing teacher.

Cheryl Hanau, MD

Pathology

Cheryl Hanau, MD, is a professor and Richard Shuman, MD, Chair of the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. Before her appointment as chair, Dr. Hanau served the College of Medicine in a number of other key positions, most recently as associate dean for admissions, and program director of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Residency.

Harpreet Pall, MD

Pediatrics

Harpreet Pall, MD, MBA, CPE, is professor and interim chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Drexel University College of Medicine. His research has focused on health literacy, efficiency, patient experience, and health disparities related to endoscopy. Examining how pediatric endoscopy services impact and benefit society, and understanding barriers to patient-centered care on a population health level, has been very important to him. Dr. Pall also serves as interim pediatrician-in-chief at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, where he is Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.

Dr. Wei Du

Psychiatry

Wei Du, MD, is a clinical professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry. He holds a secondary appointment as professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology. Dr. Du provides lectures on the psychopharmacology of depression and anxiety, and serves on the graduate student thesis committee. He is also involved in medical student education, providing lectures on schizophrenia and the neurobiology of depression and anxiety. In 2018, he began a two-year term as the secretary of the Philadelphia Psychiatric Society. He has previously served as medical director of the clinical research program and lead psychiatrist for the Center of Excellence in Addiction Treatment at The Horsham Clinic in Ambler, Pennsylvania.

Lydia Komarnicky, MD

Radiation Oncology

Lydia Komarnicky, MD, is professor and chair in the Department of Radiation Oncology. As a radiation oncologist, she is a prominent specialist in the treatment of breast, lung and eye tumors. She is a member of the board of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Long active in developing breast cancer awareness programs, she has served as a spokesperson for the Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation and on various committees of the American Cancer Society. In addition, she served as the medical advisor for a National Women's Health Resource Center's breast cancer awareness campaign.

Brian A. Bianco, DO

Radiologic Sciences

Brian A. Bianco, DO, is chair of the Department of Radiology at Drexel University College of Medicine. He holds a secondary appointment as assistant professor in the Department of Surgery. He is also an interventional radiologist at Hahnemann University Hospital. Dr. Bianco received his DO at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He received fellowship training in vascular and interventional radiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.